Let There Be Light!

For Wednesday, August 6, 2025:

John 12:36a NLT, Jesus, warning about the end times: “Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.”

We don’t know what we don’t know. We don’t know how much time remains in our world, because we don’t know the total amount of time left on God’s countdown clock. Jesus said that only the Father knows! Therefore, we must be perpetually prepared to transition into the next reality.

God created mankind with a brain and the freedom to make our own choices.
The Bible frequently speaks of good as being in the light, whereas evil lives in darkness. Jesus is counseling those assembled to trust in the light. Hang out with the good guys. Stay far away from trouble. John’s Gospel tells us that the one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, came into our world. And to all who believe in him and accept him, he gave the right to become children of God.

Believers get to live in the light with assurance of salvation. Those living in darkness have no idea where they’re headed!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Walk in the Light!

For Tuesday, April 15, 2025:

John 12:36 NLT, Jesus speaking: “Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.”

Jesus, God and heavenly things are light. Satan, demons and all evil are darkness. Addressing the crowd, Jesus shows that he still has a sense of humor, stating the obvious in a “duh” moment: “Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going!”

Ever the evangelist, Jesus is recruiting for his team until the end. For him, sharing the Good News is a 24/7 task. That job has been reassigned to today’s believers. We’re to make disciples of all nations. Jesus has delayed his return so we can add to our number. He wants to give everyone the chance to have an abundant life after this life!

The Apostle John, arguably Jesus’ best friend, said it best: “To all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God,” daughters and sons of the Most High! We’ve been adopted into the Holy Family!

Walk in the light!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Knowledge!

 

For Saturday, November 23, 2024:

1 Thessalonians 5:8 NLT: “Let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.”

 "Light” in the Bible signifies purity, cleanliness and things that are holy, things that are good, things that are of God. “Darkness,” on the other hand, represents bad things filled with evil, ideas perpetrated by Satan. It’s easy to tell the difference!

This scripture teaches us that those living in the light also have knowledge and confidence. For example, if the second coming was to begin today, a lot of earthly people would be confused by the strange goings-on. Many would be afraid. But believers know what to expect. Believers could witness the end-times events and know exactly what was happening. Jesus told us what to expect, and he’s never wrong! Graves will open and we’ll meet Jesus in the sky. His ultimate goal is to take us back home and live eternally in God’s presence. So no matter how strange things may appear, believers have confidence that everything will be OK.

Everything will be all right in the end; if everything is not all right, it’s not the end!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Hope!

For Wednesday, August 14, 2024:

Matthew 4:15-16 NLT: “In the land of Zebulun and of Naphtali, beside the sea, beyond the Jordan River, in Galilee where so many Gentiles live, the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light. And for those who lived in the land where death casts its shadow, a light has shined.”

This scripture falls under the category of TMI, “Too Much Information,” too confusing. Let’s just call the region, “Gentile Land,” a place where people have no knowledge of our Creator God. Into that dark land, a light will shine: Jesus of Nazareth, Son of God. Remember that Jesus came to earth through the Jewish people, but he came to redeem ALL people, including these Gentiles.

When a light shines into darkness, the area always becomes more light. Darkness cannot extinguish light. Light always wins!

In a way, our cities and our neighborhoods are areas of darkness where death casts a shadow. Since believers are the hands and feet of Jesus, we should now be shining his light into that darkness. Our church should be the light on the hill, shining hope for everyone to see!

If people need hope, we should be shouting, “Come and get it!”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus In the City Fellowship

Shine!

May 15, 2023 Monday Message:

John 8:12 NLT: “Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

God is the light of heaven, and Jesus is the light of the world. It’s the light of life, of eternal life. In biblical analogies, light is always good and darkness always points to evil. Honorable people do business in the light where everything can be seen; everything is out in the open. Evil, on the other had, is clandestine, sneakily hidden to conceal its true purpose.

Curiosity makes me listen to the accounts of those who have had near-death experiences; those who medically died, but were somehow revived. As they died, they recall being drawn to the brightest of light at the end of a tunnel. Those who recover have remarkably similar stories. They didn’t want to leave the light, but it was not yet their time. They want to go back again when it IS their time.

It’s said that there is no sun in heaven, and no sun is needed. If we’re in heaven, we’ll be in the presence of the Lord, and that will be more than enough light!

I remember singing, “Shine, Jesus, Shine!”

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Light!

For Wednesday, March 22, 2023:

1 John 2:10 NLT: “Anyone who loves a fellow believer is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble.”

Jesus had been quite clear about loving your neighbor, about being kind, being helpful, voluntarily stepping out to represent the light. And one more thing – don’t cause others to fall out of the light! The command to love your neighbors is in both the old and new testaments, but John is writing about imitating Jesus’ behavior. Jesus had a never-before-seen kind of love for his fellows. In his time, this was unique. Jesus’ love was special!

There is much darkness in the world today, and seemingly little light. Remember that Jesus said there would be wars and rumors of wars until he returns. In the mean time, those of us in the light need to care for one another. Kindly share the Good News with others, and figure out what you can add to a situation that would be helpful.

Non-believers don’t know where they’re going, because darkness has blinded their eyes!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

God is Light!

For Tuesday, March 14, 2023:

1 John 1:5 NLT: “This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.”

The Epistle writer isn’t simply giving us his opinion. Being an eyewitness, he’s quoting a message first heard from the Son of God! In this biblical analogy, light is Godly and good, while darkness represents sin and evil. “Living in the light” implies the absence of any darkness, and that’s where we should all strive to be.

God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. So if our relationship with God is flawed, it’s not his fault! Being a loving and forgiving God, his desire is that we would all come into the light! Over and over again, he issues his invitation to repent and return. God wants to welcome all his children back home!

The closer we are to God, the further we are from darkness!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Jesus - The Light of the World!

For Tuesday, January 3, 2023:

Isaiah 9:2 NLT: “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land where darkness casts its shadow, a light will shine.”

After Jesus’ baptism, John-the-Baptist was arrested, so Jesus settled in Capernaum and preached around the Sea of Galilee, fulfilling the prophesy of Isaiah. Jesus’ audience was surprisingly receptive, especially considering that they were accustomed to living amongst sin, living in darkness.

The arrival of Jesus was as if someone had turned on a bright light in a world where there was none! Jesus preached a new way of living, caring for your neighbor instead of just looking out for #1. He preached repentance, forgiveness, redemption and eternal life, new concepts for most of these people. It was a far better way to live! It’s the model Jesus put in place for each of us! Finally, believers had hope!

When the people walking in darkness see a great light, it will no longer be dark!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Creator!

For Saturday, December 17, 2022:

John 1:9 NLT: “The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.”

John-the-Baptist was heralding the arrival of the Son of God. John was not the light; but Jesus IS the light!

Light is always Holy and good. We will not need artificial light in heaven since God will radiate throughout the realm. Darkness and nighttime conceal covert conspiratorial activities.

When light comes into darkness, it becomes light. When darkness comes into light, it becomes light. Light always wins! God always wins! God is the creator. Everything else was created by God. The Creator always wins over the created!

Worship the Creator!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship

Let there be Light!

 For Friday, October 14, 2022:

Ephesians 5:14 NLT: “The light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, 'Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.’”

The Bible frequently describes God, Jesus and goodness as ‘light.’ Satan and all manner of evil is ‘darkness.’ It’s a good metaphor.

We all know that our God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – is the creator of everything, and that Satan is a created being. So in the end, God will always have his way. In the long-running battle between light and darkness, light always wins. If darkness comes into light, it will be overtaken by the light. If light and darkness collide, light prevails.

Those living in darkness may not realize the value of light until someone shows them. Jesus called believers to teach others, to make disciples of all nations, to show them the light!

Run from darkness toward the light! It’s Christ who will always give you light!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406